Stuck at Level 3 (Professional Proficiency): Differing Approaches and Experiences of Hares and Tortoises

 

In earlier posts, we’ve talked about hares and tortoises in language learning—those classic learner types who approach fluency either in a burst of brilliance or with deliberate, measured steps. Today, let’s revisit the hares, particularly those who have found a comfortable resting place at Level 3, or “Professional Proficiency,” and seem quite happy to stay there.

Hares, often synoptic, right-brain dominant learners, shoot ahead in language acquisition. They become impressively fluent very quickly. They can talk around vocabulary gaps with creative circumlocutions. They can paraphrase on the fly, improvise idioms, and charm listeners with their expressive energy.

But what happens when the hare, having outpaced the tortoise in reaching Level 3, falls asleep just shy of the finish line?

This, as Ehrman points out in Developing Professional-Level Foreign Language Proficiency (Leaver & Shekhtman), is the phenomenon of level fossilization. (There are other forms of fossilization that will be addressed in future posts, and all of them are the hares' bane.) The hare becomes so comfortable being “awfully fluent” that they stop pushing forward. Why struggle for precision when approximation works just fine? Why labor over le mot juste when circumlocution has always done the trick?

And Level 3 is a tempting resting place. It allows for professional communication, social fluency, and impressive-sounding skills on a résumé. But it’s also where complexity begins to creep in. Syntax becomes subtler. Lexicon deepens. Register and tone grow more exacting. It’s not just about speaking well anymore—it’s about speaking precisely. And that is tortoise territory.

Here’s the paradox: when a speaker at Level 3 reaches for Level 4 or near-native status, they may encounter criticism for using le mot non juste—not quite the right word, not quite the right nuance. And ironically, that’s a high-level compliment in disguise. Why? Because the native speaker has temporarily forgotten you are not a native speaker. The bar has been raised—you're being judged by native norms. At Level 3, on the other hand, you get praised simply for communicating so well as a foreigner. The expectations are lower, and thus, the compliments flow more freely.

That makes Level 3 very cozy.

For the hare to move beyond this plateau, the challenge is formidable. It requires intentional, painstaking refinement—the kind of work that doesn’t come naturally to many hares. It’s not about speed or charm anymore. It’s about structure, exactness, nuance, and cognitive stamina. It’s about waking up and getting back in the race—on the tortoise’s turf.

So, if you find yourself—or your students—stuck at Level 3, take a moment to ask:
Are the hares asleep again?
Is it time to nudge them awake?

Because awful fluency, while impressive, isn’t the finish line. It’s just a very comfortable bench along the way.

For more language learning posts, click here.

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